A Thousand Ways To Say I Love You

CHAPTER XXXI

Matteo and Isabella were watching TV sitting in the couch together, Mrs Romano was so tired that she went to sleep early, the peaceful atmosphere lingered in the air, Matteo's phone vibrated on the table. He glanced at the screen-it was Mia. His heart sank, and a sense of dread washed over him. He knew Mia wouldn't call unless it was urgent.

"Excuse me," Matteo said softly, standing up from his place. Isabella looked up, but he gave a reassuring smile. "I just need to take this call."

He stepped outside, the evening breeze cooling his nerves as he answered the phone. "Mia, what is it?"

On the other end, Mia's voice was tense, laced with urgency. "Matteo, you need to come back. Now. There's a situation. It's dangerous, and it involves you. Someone's making a move-things are escalating faster than we thought."

Matteo's heart pounded, his mind racing. He glanced back at the house, seeing the warm glow through the windows, the peaceful scene he had just been a part of. But now that peace was slipping away, pulled into the shadows of the life he had tried to leave behind.

"Mia, how bad is it?" Matteo asked, his voice low but steady.

"Bad enough that you can't stay where you are any longer. You need to handle this," Mia said, her tone sharpening. Matteo's jaw tightened, and a wave of protectiveness washed over him.

"I'll be there soon," he said before hanging up the phone.

Matteo stood for a moment, taking a deep breath, trying to steady the chaos building inside him. This life-this secret world-was pulling him back in, and now it was endangering the one person he cared about most. He knew he couldn't stay much longer. But how could he leave without making Isabella suspicious?

He walked back into the house, putting on a calm face as he approached the table. Isabella noticed something different about him instantly.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, her brows furrowed with concern.

Matteo nodded, though the weight of what was happening bore heavily on his shoulders. "Yeah, it's fine. Just some business I need to take care of."

He sat back down, trying to appear as though nothing had changed. But in the back of his mind, the storm was brewing, and he knew he couldn't let Isabella be caught in the middle of it.

Matteo sat near Isabella, his gaze distant as he tried to choose his words carefully. He reached for her hand, his grip firmer than usual, as if holding on to her would somehow keep the looming danger at bay.

"I know we're supposed to head back tomorrow after your two days off," he said, his voice low and controlled, "and I really wanted to return with you. Together. But... I need to go back now. It's urgent."

Isabella's eyes narrowed slightly. His words were calm, but something about his tone, the way his eyes flicked away when he spoke, made her uneasy. "Urgent?" she echoed. "What kind of business can't wait until tomorrow and now it's night who do buisness at night, is it very serious, Matteo?"

He shifted, clearly uncomfortable under her questioning. "It's nothing serious. Just some work issues that came up. I have to handle them now."

Isabella studied his face, noticing the subtle tension in his jaw, the way he avoided eye contact for too long. Her suspicion grew. "You always say it's 'just business,' but it never feels like it. There's always something you're not telling me."

Matteo glanced at her, trying to maintain his calm facade, but he could see the doubt in her eyes. He stood up abruptly, pacing a bit as if to escape the scrutiny.

"Isabella, I'm telling you the truth. I just need to take care of this, and I'll be back to you as soon as I can."

"But why now, Matteo?" Isabella pressed, her voice firm. "You've been acting strange since we got here-going out at odd hours, looking distracted. What's really going on?"

Matteo stopped in his tracks, his back to her, fists clenched. He knew she could feel the cracks in the story he was trying to hold together. The truth was too dangerous to reveal, but her suspicion was growing stronger, and he was losing his grip on keeping her in the dark.

He turned around, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I promise, it's nothing to worry about. I'll handle it and be back before you know it."

Isabella wasn't convinced. The way he hurried toward the door without fully explaining left a gnawing feeling in her gut. Something was wrong, and she could sense he was hiding much more than just "business."

"Matteo," she called out as he opened the door. He paused, looking back at her. "I need you to be honest with me. I feel like I don't know the whole You."

Matteo walk to her, leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I will.......I'll see you soon, I promise."

Isabella's heart sank, sensing that whatever it was, it wasn't just a simple business matter. But she trusted him. "Okay," she said quietly, "just... be careful."

He hesitated, his heart sinking at her words, but there was nothing more he could say without unraveling the fragile balance he was trying to maintain.

"I'll be back," was all he could manage before he walked out, leaving Isabella standing there with more questions than answers, her suspicion now a heavy weight on her heart.